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Thanks for all the great responses. I love all you guys. I play bass in a Rock and Roll band, ride motorcycles, love working with my hands (electronic, automotive, wood, flies, etc)Tomboy maybe, but I think I try to be self sustaned.
NoahsBoyz, my husband is my best friend and
teacher also.
____________________________________________J Castwell I do not understand the "out fished" term. I have absolutely no frame of reference to it. Is it a contest? Do you 'keep score' of hits, runs and errors? Is there a winning to fly fishing that I have missed? Are you sure the ones you 'out fished' were aware that they were in a game?
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I agree that it SHOULDN'T be a competition, but at times it seems that there is no getting around it. Maybe bad choice of words, I will say that if I am on the water with a couple of locals, and I start to bring in several fish, when they are not, they find ways to justify this by little nick names. I admit that there is only a few of these guys that prefer their woman stay bare foot and pregnant and I certainly don't put all men in that class.
Frank B. this happened to me all the time at Orvis. The guys would walk in, I would ask if I could help them find anything, they would reply, Just heading back to the fishing, where the male employees love to hang out. However if they had a question on a certain fly and the boss said let me get the expert, and I walked up, I wish I had had a camera.
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she who dies with the most toy's wins.
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Hi Folks,
I'm an equal opportunity fisherman. I
don't worry about your gender, race, or the
political party you belong to. Just sharing
an interest in fishing is enough for me, and
particularly in fly fishing. I have several
ladies that accompany me fishing from time
to time and I enjoy thier company. My wife
appreciates them as well as she likes me to
have company on the trips. If we didn't
trust each other after 38 years of marriage,
then I guess we never would.*G* Warm
regards, Jim
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Funny, since waders don't have a zipper fly I always assumed that flyfishing was a non-gender activity. I cannot seem to convince my wife of 36 years that she should try it though. Pity for me to miss her companionship on the water and pity to miss out on so many good times.
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FG -
I welcome women fishing (and hunting) for several reasons - here's a pragmatic one.
If more women fished, there would be more families involved. If more families were involved, our sporting interests would be further ingrained in our culture. While I'm not looking for more crowds, more support against the antis (and they're coming to fishing, just as they have to hunting) would ensure our ability to continue what we all treasure. (Besides, what's not to like about an upgrade in the scenery?)
It's not hard to find a little mind - ignore them whether male or female.....
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I haven't fished very often with women, unfortunately. I was married 33 years to one who'd rather get poked in the eye with a hot needle than go fishing with me -- fishing as in, she fishes, too? I once tried teaching The Bride how to bobber fish with jig and minnow for crappie. Somehow she took deep offense and angrily accused me of showing off after a fish pulled my bobber under while her bobber, sitting just a foot away, didn't move. I sorta lost heart after that trip; it was the first time I'd ever had my *** chewed for getting a bite.
During the three point three decades I was married, I saw many boyfriend/girlfriend - husband/wife couples fishing. All these couples looked to be having a fine time, both people quietly focused on the task, enjoying themselves hanging out outdoors trying to catch fish.
I especially like to see the couples that split up when fishing. This tells me she's experienced and appreciates that splitting up improves their chances of catching fish as a team. I hope the dads, uncles, grandpas and brothers who teach young girls to fish will all go straight to Heaven when they die.
Anyway, seeing these couples on the water is the kind of thing that makes a guy who never had that sort of relationship feel sad and lonely wishing he had a girlfriend or wife like that. It's the romantic in me, and there's a wide streak. But I always feel happy for any guy I see enjoying himself with a woman fishing partner. He's one lucky guy, and I can't help thinking their entire relationship is rock solid.
This said, most experienced fishing guys, including me, often have a selfish component that makes us want to focus totally on catching fish and not be distracted or interrupted by anybody, male or female, while we're about doing it. This component collides head-on with our altruistic desire to assist or educate a novice female fisher. I think this is the main cause of male tension and resentment -- if there is any -- when women get included in fishing trips.
Also, women in general hold so much power over men in so many areas of daily life that most men have a psychic self-preservation component. Translation: Leave the women out of this; we'll call 'em when we get back from the trip.
Most women, of course, also have interests and moods where they sometimes feel the need to keep men in the rear view mirror until after the fun's over.
As for getting "out fished", that's never happened to me at the hands of a female. But if someday it does happen I'll be Okay with it...unless she begins showboating her luck as a way of embarrassing me and putting me down in front of other people. That happens, it's the last time we fish together.
The best couples or mixed groups have an understanding that if they're fishing for the skillet they will combine their catch at the end of the day and everyone gets an equal number of fillets no matter who caught the most. This is what I've always done after bird hunts and fishing trips.
The thing is, in hunting and fishing you can't predict who'll have the hot hand. Outside factors beyond anyone's control influence who will kill the most birds or catch the most fish on any given day. So since it's a cooperative effort, what you do is try your hardest to hold up your end, and if someone else catches more you welcome it and celebrate their luck; you don't resent their luck. Because who knows? Next time, you might be the trip hero instead and they'll be the ones happily bragging you up.
The same holds true in group C&R fishing. More fun if from trip to trip it's a team effort where everyone just tries their best and nobody gets too excited about doing better or worse than someone else.
As I'm sure you've deduced by now, I consider "competitive fishing" to be a contradiction in terms.
Joe
"Better small than not at all."
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Trouble with women fishing with me heck no. I have fished with my girlfriend over 50 times this past year and a couple other girl freinds before that. I just wish I could teach Amie to cast better. She has improved a little in the past few weeks, thanks to some men and one women that are better teachers then I am.
Fly goddess missed you at the womens flyfishing get together two weeks ago. I would have loved a chance to finally meet you and your other half. Amie, Sue, Tiffany and crew had a blast even though only a smolt was landed and one Steelie hooked into. Jerry cooked up a great meal for one and all. It was hard for me to not fish but at least I got a few flies tied talking to Jerry and the girls loved us guy waiting on this though Jerry did most of the work. Still hope to meet the two of you one of these days.
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Hmmm, Women, fishing, hunting, no problem with me, and my wife doesn't do either, but she does love to go camping or anything outdoors when possible. I am seeing more women coming thru the hunters ed classes every year, and for a lot of them it is a new experience in the outdoors, and they are LOVING IT!!
I have to agree with several of these posts,
the more it is done as a family, and it does not have to be just fishing or hunting, the better the world will be.
So, Fly Goddess, Ignore the totally immature wife whom can't seem to trust her husband and get on with the great job you are doing!!
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Wyo-blizzard aka Bloody Tom Bonney
[This message has been edited by Byron Zuehlsdorff (edited 14 March 2006).]
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Buzz said:
"Ever since I was old enough to have a concious thought I have loved women.
I have never felt threatened by them.
There are women as well as men who can outperform me in every aspect of life.
I accept it and keep going."
What a great and pretty deep post! You said so well what it would have taken me 5 times as many words to say.
Bob
[This message has been edited by BSwan (edited 14 March 2006).]
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Yup, Buzz said it first and also said it best IMHO!
Ol' Bill
1932
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I believe it is our second most important commandment to love one another as we love ourselves. That being said, anyone is welcome to fish as my neighbor on the stream. If I have something to learn from my neighbor, so be it. If I have something to teach my neighbor, so be it. Respect and kindness at streamside is paramount. Regardless of what side you button your shirt on.
God Bless,
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Life, is the time He gave you to determine where you want to spend eternity.
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Lotech Joe
[This message has been edited by Lotech (edited 14 March 2006).]